keeara
In the beginning of this film I felt a sense of overwhelming joy for the protesters for their accomplishments...but then the real revolution begins again and again. Being a U.S. citizen, where life and circumstances aren't nearly as bad as I thought after watching the first 15 minutes of this film, it is important to be aware of the struggles around the globe that go on to ensure the things we may take for granted. After the first round of protesting was over, I thought there would be reasons for the protesters to celebrate. Although, that was not the case. The protests seemed to dig a deeper hole for the revolutionaries. But they didn't give up...the people of Egypt never lost sight of their purpose and to fight for what they believed in...freedom! They have outstanding hope and integrity. I believe what they are experienced is horrible and they will overcome the tragedy and mistreatment and ruling. They will have their freedom
Goodfellasz
What an amazing movie, if you ever want to learn the story of the Arab spring in Egypt and its after match, than you must go see this movie.the documentary mostly made up out of material shot by protesters tells the intense story of the Arab uprising in Egypt, Cairo.Told by a youngster one can only show admiration for how persistent these men and women fought for their freedom, at the same time it shows the after match of this revolution.Sadly enough this movie didn't win the Oscar (which it should have won). Told by real bystanders and shot by bystanders this gives a very dramatical and realistic image of the uprising, a must see for everyone.
emilyelizabeth1283
I'd followed the stories in the news and used the timelines and animations on the New York Times website to put events in order and try to understand what was happening in Egypt, but documentary film making in the last several years has presented itself as an invaluable opportunity for human connection where newsprint, blogging and television news broadcasts fall short. These are the faces of the people involved with the revolutionary movement in Egypt. The faces that you can watch, second by second, as the emotion in their faces evolve from shock, to understanding, to rage, to determination. In place of a pretty girl whose makeup and hair has just been done, reading off of a sheet of paper, perhaps tripping over the pronunciation of some words, you have Ahmed, Magdy, Khalid, Dina, and Ramy running or standing resolute in Tahrir Square as first Mubarek, then the military regime, then Muslim Brotherhood supporters try to crush, depress, or manipulate the cause of the Egyptian people gathered there.It is such a vital, clarifying experience to put faces to the numbers, names, and body count reports and to see the people of Egypt as their struggle was documented, to understand that their world does not disappear after the two hour film is finished and the credits roll. That world is not far away. It is here. We are all living here. It is inaccurate to think of a group of individuals in a movement, or a political or religious group and negate the fact that the individual precedes the group as an existence. Even in a group or country that staunchly identifies itself as a group and not as individuals. Each conscious mind is brought up being taught this value and this belief, but no mind is above self-actualization and self-awareness that recognizes that your love, your interests, your source of empowerment and inspiration are unique to you and are realized at different times in each lifetime. This conflict is shown most clearly in Magdy, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, which supports his family and his way of life and has done for decades, who also sympathizes with the words of his friend Ahmed, a revolutionary, who calls out the Brotherhood for making deals with the military to assume power. What may have taken a man 60 years to internalize may take another man just 10 or 20. Our minds are unique, but that doesn't mean we aren't connected, that we aren't capable of empathy and recognizing that despite our differences we come from the same place. Billions of light refractions that are all part of the same light. When a large amount of these refractions come together to form one shaft of light another realization is illuminated in the history of human evolution. A new way to live, an actualization of a possibility. These innumerable possibilities coexist, but nothing changes until we decide to focus our light on them, to open our eyes and move from observer to arbiter... http://funkyforestfirstcontact.wordpress.com
amoooooor
I watched Al Midan or @Thesquarefilm yesterday. I am not quiet used to watch a movie about an affair that I lived day by day. The film has triggered lots of emotions towards what has become to be known as a revolution and I'd rather call the 2011 demonstrations that I used to join on daily basis at the time.The movie is not bad at all and I definitely wish it would clinch an Oscar. Out of supporting a fellow Egyptian of course. Although it is not chronologically perfect and sometimes you get lost out of time , and you don't get comprehend when exactly this scene taking place in, but I guess it was quiet fair into pointing fingers at the culprits causing the ultimate failure of the demos. The revolutionaries for their Utopia kind of day dreams, the Ikhwan (MB) for being selfish and betraying the common calls of the demos for the sake of their own wishes and the military for not fulfilling their promises to the naive revolutionaries and eventually eating the whole cake alone.The characters in the movie represent different parts of the revolutionaries spectrum but many different characters have been missed. They forgot those who got fed up with the whole thing and would rather live in tyranny once more than this mess. They forget to show the selfish Islamists still running after their dreams of running an Afghanistan kind of state.The movie drove me through anger at myself in the beginning for being naive as well and trusting those people who ruined our dreams and towards our fellow demonstrators for daring to dream. Then, I grew into feeling sad for the people we lost along the way and for not being able to slap these selfish cunning Islamists at the face some time for doing what they did to us.I totally recommend owning a copy of the movie once the DVD is released. The future generations have to watch it, they should know who not to trust. They should not repeat the same mistakes.A well earned 7 out of 10 is what I would rate it.
